Waiting Expectantly

“He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” 

Luke24:46-52 (NIV)

God recently reminded me of this scene in Luke 24 in which Jesus appears to his disciples after defeating sin and death by triumphantly rising from the grave.  In this passage, Jesus astounds the disciples by proving that He is not a ghost, but is in fact the risen Lord in flesh and bones – alive and eating broiled fish!  Amazed and joyous, the disciples must have hung on every word Jesus spoke as He commissioned them as witnesses to the nations and promised the sending of the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 28 records the Great Commission in which “Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

Take a moment to imagine how the disciples must have felt.  First, Jesus appeared to them after being brutally crucified in public and laid lifeless in a tomb.  Then, after rising from the grave, He proceeds to eat broiled fish and prove that He is not a ghost.  Next Jesus points out that these events were all part of God’s divine plan and opens the disciples' minds so that they can understand the Scriptures.  Finally, He gives them the biggest job assignment ever: go to all people and proclaim the good news of salvation.  And, by the way, Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit, who will go with them and empower them to fulfill this monumental task. 

I imagine that by this point in the story the disciples are pretty excited.  Risen Lord! Alive! Eyes opened! God’s plan for salvation! Go to all the nations!

But Jesus said to wait.  Yes – after all of that, He told them to wait.   

There they sat, stunned and in awe of Jesus, ready and willing to go… and they were just supposed to wait?  That's right.  The disciples were to wait for the Holy Spirit to anoint the perfect moment to go and spread the gospel to all people, tribes, and tongues.  According to Luke, they waited in a posture of continual worship, with a song in their hearts and praise on their lips.  They waited purposefully and with anticipation of the great things God would do through them for the building of His Kingdom. 

As Christians, we have all heard the call of the Great Commission.  Jesus’s words ring ever clear in our minds as we long to see the joy of Christ spread to all people.  It is the desire of our hearts to bear fruit for the glory of God and be a light in the darkness.  Jesus desires that all would know of His love and sacrifice, and that all would enter into the gift of eternal salvation He accomplished by dying in our place on the cross.  It is by confessing that He is Lord and giving our lives to God that we are saved.  We are the messengers of this great news!  We have been appointed! 

Do you ever find yourself in the same situation as the disciples?  I sure do.  Have you heard the call to “go” but are now in a season of waiting?  This passage is such encouragement to my soul as I relate to and learn from the experience the disciples had that day.  It is a joy to know that God has called me to be His child and has commissioned me to glorify His name by bringing others into the Kingdom.  Sometimes waiting on the Holy Spirit’s perfect timing to “go” is difficult – especially when you happen to a "Type A” girl who always has a plan... and a back-up plan.  However, God has shown me through this passage and my own experience that there is so much to be gained from a season of waiting.  What a sweet time to savor and treasure the Lord as I abide in His love!  I am thankful for opportunities to grow, to learn, to disciple and be discipled.  I am thankful that God has a plan for my life, and that He has given me the opportunity to wait in faith on His perfect timing. 

As Charles Spurgeon said in his sermon titled The Filling ofEmpty Vessels, “Waiting in faith is a high form of worship which in some respects excels the adoration of the shining ones above.”  Did you catch that?   Waiting is worship that outshines the stars that twinkle like fireflies dancing across the night sky.  May we wait in humble expectation of all that God has prepared for us, knowing that His plan will be perfected in and through us at just the right moment.  Worship as you wait.  Serve as you wait.  Love as you wait. Abide as you wait.  And when the time comes, may you boldly step out in faith and fulfill your high calling for the glory of God.